The Library, Friday Evening

[3girls_1core]

For their last night in Fandom, Sholeh had asked Mr. Constantine if she could host a small dinner party in the library. It only seemed fitting; it was her favorite place in the whole school, after all, and these were her favorite people. Okay, Dr. Lecter was more Zhari's guest, but that was fair. After all, they were all leaving

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[myownface]

"Oh, shit." Sparkle really hadn't been expecting it, but his face lit up a little when he spotted the Nanaimo bars. "No way. I haven't seen these things in two years."

It made him feel marginally better about how much he hated the island, and this week, and everything. He'd brought a present for the girls, because of course he wasn't going to let them leave without stocking them up on make-up first, and he'd even shown up sober.

That was how much he cared, Sho. Sober. This week of all weeks.

[3girls_1core]

"I saw them and thought of you," Zhari said softly. "I hope they came out okay."

Zhahar and Sparkle hadn't really gotten along even before the whole vampire fiasco, but she'd seen them and thought they'd make a better peace offering than anything she could say.

[myownface]

"They're way too sweet and the chocolate is melting all over my fingers," Sparkle replied. "Which means you made them perfectly. Thanks, Zhahar."

He licked off his fingers, and then held one up, shrugging his backpack off his shoulder and going for a rummage.

"Got something for you three, too."

[3girls_1core]

"Sholeh is saying that you didn't have to and Zeela's saying, 'Good,' so I guess I'm going to wait until I see what it is to decide what to say," she said with a small attempt at a smile.

[myownface]

"It's mostly just boring shit," Sparkle replied, shrugging and pulling out... another bag, from inside his bag. "Make-up. Hair stuff. Condoms."

What? He had to get something for Zee, too.

"But, you know. Stuff."

[3girls_1core]

"Ooooh," Zhari said, taking the bag when he handed it to her to paw through. "Wow, that's a lot of makeup...wait." She pulled out a container of eye makeup that would go well with her coloring, but not necessarily either of her sisters. "Did you get makeup for all three of us?"

DAMMIT SPARKLE. SHE WAS TRYING NOT TO SNIFFLE HERE.

[myownface]

Sparkle gave his shoulders a kind of sheepish shrug.

"It's not like Sho's gonna be at the wheel all the time anymore, you know? Figured it'd suck if you had to try to make her stuff work for you, or Badgerface."

[3girls_1core]

"Yeah, but...you'd be surprised how few people think that way. Even in Tryadnea. Thanks, Sparkle. This is really thoughtful."

Pause.

"Zee says that's Ms Badgerface to you, though."

[myownface]

"Might be, but when has she ever known me to stand on formality?"

Sorry, Badgerface.

"Gonna miss you guys. I mean... I kinda already do," for reasons. "But... you know. Knowing you didn't suck."

That was all sorts of mushy, coming from him.

[3girls_1core]

"I miss you, too." That was Sholeh's voice then, while Zhahar's features ran like wax and reformed into the freckled girl he'd made friends with two years ago. "If we had more time--or if we could do it over again--"

There was so much between them that she'd change and fix.

"I'm sorry."

[myownface]

"Hey, no worries, Sho," Sparkle replied, shrugging his shoulders in a deceptively dismissive gesture. "I mean... I would've avoided me, too."

Hell, some days, he wanted to. Sparkle was not Sparkle's biggest fan.

"Wouldn't mind a do-over. We're gonna have to settle for, I dunno. Writing or something."

[3girls_1core]

"If we can figure out how to do that, I'd really enjoy it," Sholeh said. "It's just...Tryadnea doesn't fit into the world right. We might have to wait until our next assignment before we can really send or receive letters."

And who knew how long that would be. Even at seventeen, they were too young to get another assignment outside of Tryadnea. They never would have gotten this one, except it was part of a school.

Still, Sholeh summoned up a smile for him. "No email, so you're going to have to handwrite everything. How's your handwriting?"

[myownface]

"Hideous chicken-scratch," Sparkle laughed. "But I can print for you, if I have to."

A beat.

"I might just type it up and mail you a printout. So there."

[3girls_1core]

"At least then I'll be able to read it," Sholeh teased gently. "Though I'll also have to answer a million questions about how you got your letters so perfect and uniform. To say nothing of explaining half the things you're talking about."

[myownface]

"Well, yeah. But you'd have to explain what I'm going on about either way," Sparkle pointed out. "This place is screwed up. And I guess I could pick a hideous font. Because I care."

Comic Sans, Sholeh. Just for you.

[3girls_1core]

Or Papyrus!

"You're too good to me," she insisted. "Which reminds me. May I ask you for a favor?"